In recent years, the use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for various common lighting purposes has increased, and this trend has accelerated as advances have been made in LEDs and in LED-array bearing devices, often referred to as “LED modules.” Indeed, lighting applications which have been served by fixtures using high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps and other light sources are now increasingly beginning to be served by LED modules. Such lighting applications include, among a good many others, roadway lighting, parking lot lighting, factory lighting. Creative work continues in the field of LED module development, and also in the field of using LED modules for light fixtures in various applications, which increasingly extends to interior lighting, including recessed lighting fixtures. It is the latter field to which this invention relates.
Recessed lighting fixtures in general have certain limitations with respect to the size of the area that can be illuminated by a given fixture. A recessed lighting fixture is typically mounted into a ceiling, a wall or some other structure that has an opening through which the light is emitted onto the area to be illuminated. (Given that recessed lighting is most typically used in ceilings, discussions referring to particular building structures will refer to a ceiling; however it is to be understood that no limitation is intended by any such reference.) Lighting-industry standards require that a given light source of a recessed lighting fixture be recessed within the ceiling to a sufficient depth to conceal such light source from a viewer looking at the fixture at an angle (to the vertical axis of the fixture) of 45° or more. Compliance with such standard typically substantially reduces the size of the area below illuminated by the fixture, which in turn may require a greater number of fixtures for illuminating a particular room or large area or may require recessed fixtures with larger openings. This can become a problem when architectural design preferences tend toward fewer fixtures and smaller openings.
There have been various efforts in development of recessed lighting fixtures using LEDs as light sources. However, there is a significant need in the lighting industry for improved recessed light fixtures using LEDs, addressing the problems and concerns referred to above. More specifically, it would be highly desirable to provide an LED-based recessed lighting fixture that provides illumination of large areas while having a relatively small size, as well as improved LED lensing to serve such purposes.